Purpleface

Chronique

Written while touring behind 2008's Moonbeams, Purpleface finds Scott Reitherman and his backing three-piece trying to keep themselves from fading into obscurity -- as blog buzz bands can often do in a year -- by haphazardly releasing a few songs for the masses. Unfortunately, it's kind of a halfhearted attempt. As a four-song EP with a reworking of Moonbeams' "Written in Heart Signs, Faintly" and only ten and a half minutes of new material, Purpleface feels more like a handful of bonus tracks than an actual outing worth its own disc. The main factor differentiating these songs from the songs on Moonbeams is that these are a little spacier, a little more distant, and a little colder. The thrift store aesthetic is still there, but the summery pep has faded, and the additional layers of wet reverb only serve to make Reitherman sound sadder and more distant. This more subdued side is worth investigating, but after a few spins fans will probably long for the playful intimacy of Throw Me the Statue's debut. Think of this as a supplemental disc to get sufferers of seasonal affective disorder through a short winter until the next summer romp.
© Jason Lymangrover /TiVo